It is well known in the art to use building panels to make wall or partition surface assemblies on structural building frames.
There are various requirements for such building panel assemblies. In particular the panels must be capable of quick, simple and reliable assembly. This will ensure that wall surfaces can be rapidly built, with minimal risk of damage to the wall panels during assembly.
In the case of an exterior wall, the joints should protect the building from the ingress of wind, moisture, and other environmental factors. In the case of an interior partition, the joints should be draftproof.
The problems encountered by existing panels are numerous. As the concept of panel modularity evolved, panels became larger in the interests of faster assembly time since obviously fewer large panels would be needed to complete a wall surface when compared to, for example, smaller panels or even bricks.
Large panels present various drawbacks, some of which are their increased weight and bulk, making it difficult to manoeuvre, position and attach the large panels to a building structure. Add to this the difficulty in sealing the edges of adjacent panels, such difficulty being accentuated the taller or more inaccessible the building structure becomes.
Furthermore, large panels, once installed, are not removable from the building structure without damages to the panels and/or the structure, thus preventing the re-installation of the panels on another structure or simply on the same building structure after relocation thereof.
Attempts have been made previously to seal the edges of adjacent panels with rubber sill garage doors sealing or windows rubber hoses sealing system but among the consistent drawbacks has been the frequent damage to sealing surfaces while the panels are handled, and during the building assembly activity. The damage to the sealing surfaces is often difficult to detect and repair during construction, resulting in drafty, leaky buildings that require repair as soon as they are placed in service.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved building panel with modular, self-aligning, quick-assembly interfaces providing sealing and weatherproofing.